ROYAL CONNECTION
Who is Prince Michael of Kent and how is he related to King Charles?
And the tragedy that befell his son-in-law
PRINCE Michael of Kent has been a prominent member of the British Royal Family for many years.
Here's everything you need to know about his life and distinguished career.
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Who is Prince Michael of Kent?
Prince Michael of Kent is a member of the British Royal Family, and 52nd in line to the throne.
He was born on July 4, 1942, in Buckinghamshire, and is the youngest son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark.
Seven weeks after Michael's birth, his father was killed in a plane crash in Scotland.
The Prince has a brother and a sister.
His older brother, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, was born in London in 1935.
His sister, Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, was born a year later on Christmas Day in 1936.
Prince Michael was educated at Eton, and is regarded as the first member of the family to learn Russian.
He served in the military from the early 1960s to 1981, retiring with the rank of Major following service in Germany, Hong Kong and Cyprus.
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How is Prince Michael of Kent related to King Charles?
Prince Michael is a first cousin to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
This means he's King Charles III's first cousin once removed.
Lady Gabriella Windsor stuns in Luisa Beccaria dress as she makes her way into St George’s chapel
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Prince Michael is the grandson of King George V and Queen Mary.
In an ITV documentary he opened up about taking part in the late Queen's Coronation in 1953.
Aged just ten, the young prince dressed up in a kilt and black jacket for the procession to Westminster Abbey.
He said: "The Coronation was the most extraordinarily exciting thing for a small boy."
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What does Prince Michael of Kent do for a living?
Prince Michael of Kent announced his retirement from public life in June 2022, as he approached his 80th birthday.
He represented the late Queen on a number of occasions at functions outside the UK.
The Prince also managed his own consultancy business, doing a lot of commercial work around the world.
He has also presented some TV documentaries on the royal families of Europe.
Prince Michael remains involved in around a hundred charities and organisations, and is Patron of a large number of these.
He caused controversy in 2021 when he was accused of introducing businessmen to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Is Prince Michael of Kent married?
Prince Michael married Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz, daughter of Baron von Reibnitz and the former Countess Marianne Szapary.
They tied the knot in Vienna in 1978.
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Upon their marriage, she was given the title of Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent - the female equivalent to her husband's title.
He forfeited his line to the throne by marrying her because she was a Roman Catholic, but was later reinstated through the Succession to the Crown Act 2013.
They now live together at Kensington Palace.
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Who are Prince Michael of Kent's children?
Lord Frederick Windsor
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Prince and Princess Michael's oldest child is Lord Frederick Windsor.
He was born on April 6, 1979.
He went to Eton College, and later graduated from Magdalen College at Oxford University with a 2:1 in Classics.
He worked as a model for Burberry before a career as a banker.
Frederick married Sophie Winkleman at Hampton Court on September 12, 2009.
The couple have two children.
Maud Elizabeth Daphne Marina was born on August 15, 2013, with her sister, Isabella Alexandra May, arriving on January 16, 2016.
Lady Gabriella Windsor
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Prince and Princess Michael's only daughter and second child is Lady Gabriella Windsor.
Gabriella Marina Alexandra Ophelia Windsor was born on April 23, 1981.
She's a writer and a singer-songwriter who goes professionally by the name of Ella Windsor.
She has a degree in Comparative Literature, along with a masters in social anthropology from Oxford.
She married Thomas Kingston on May 18, 2019.
Tragically, she hit the headlines in 2024 when Thomas died suddenly at his parents' home.
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